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Converting trucks to compressed natural gas is not yet cost-effective for Egg Harbor Township, N.J., in the short term, according to Township Administrator Peter Miller. "Just the cost to retrofit the trucks and convert, we didn't see a payback during the life of those vehicles," Miller said. The township will consider CNG as an option going forward because a CNG fueling station is set to be installed later this year.

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Imdaad, a waste-management company in the United Arab Emirates, will use biofuel in its entire fleet of 100 waste-collection trucks by the end of this year. "Apart from reducing pollutants like carbon dioxide, biofuel has proved to be cost-effective and will cut down cost of vehicle maintenance," said Imdaad CEO Jamal Abdullah Lootah. The company's effort is part of the country's waste-to-energy project that converts municipal solid waste to fuel for vehicles.

New roofs have been planned for 15 schools at a school district in Middletown Township, N.J., under a project matching $12.9 million in state grants with $19 million in local tax revenue. School officials say replacing the roofs now is more cost-effective over the long run than repairing them.

America's most popular full-size pick-up truck, the Ford F-150, will come with a compressed-natural-gas fueled option in 2014, according to reports. It will be "the first half-ton truck with dual-fuel capability," according to MotorTrend. "The F-150 with a 3.7-liter V6 engine will be available this fall with a $315 factory-installed, gaseous-fuel prep package that includes hardened valves, valve seats, pistons and rings so it can operate on either natural gas or gasoline through separate fuel systems," according to Forbes, but it will still need a pricey conversion kit, says Ford's Kevin Koswick.

A researcher at Auburn University is seeking to develop a more cost-effective way of converting farm and woody biomass into butanol. Butanol is a promising advanced biofuel, but technical issues, such as hydrolysate inhibition, present barriers to cost-effective production, said researcher Maobing Tu. The project is supported by a five-year, $401,155 award from the National Science Foundation.

California-based dairy processor Dean Foods has recently acquired five compressed natural gas-powered delivery vehicles from Ryder Systems through a deal between Ryder and Southern California's San Bernardino Associated Governments. Ryder has consolidated with the California Energy Commission, the Department of Energy and the Southern California Association of Governments Clean Cities Coalition for the acquisition, which costs around $38.7 million.